Shadows of the Night
by 9r7g5h
Summary: A song's words can hold so many meanings, depending on who sings them.


**AN:** My first XXXHoLic fanfic, and my ninety-third overall! I've only read to chapter thirty, but I have the strong feeling that something is going to happen between Yuuko and Watanuki. That feeling, combined with the fact that she seems to enjoy messing with his head led to this. The song is 'Shadows of the Night' by Pat Benatar. Also, if someone could please tell me if I need to read Tsubasa Chronicles, and if so, in what order to read the books, I would really appreciate it. I hope you enjoy this. :) Finally, this is fanfiction number ninety-four! Yay! Six more, and I'm at one-hundred! :D

**Disclaimer:** I do not own XXXHoLic. CLAMP does.

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From the moment he entered the shop, prepared to once again face the strangeness that came with his place of employment, Watanuki knew that something weird was going to happen that day.

Mainly because Yuuko was actually acting normal.

Instead of sending one of her many creatures or treasures to bring him, Yuuko had instead just called for him to come to her, her voice slightly frustrated but otherwise normal in tone. When he had finally found her in one of the back rooms, instead of throwing one of her more dangerous items towards him, she had simply motioned to the old radio that she had been fiddling with a moment before, her hand refolding itself across her chest as she pouted at the item. And when he had just stood there, looking between her and the piece of technology that she wanted him to mess with, instead of a snide remark that was sure to irritate him, she had simply sighed before stating her request out loud.

"Find me some music to listen to."

After first taking a moment to study the radio, making sure that there were no hidden spots that might contain a hungry spirit or two, it had been with a slight feeling of surprise that Watanuki found that it was, in fact, just a normal radio, if one that was a bit on the old side. Frowning as he wondered what the catch was, for nothing in the shop was normal, he had tenderly begun to flip through the channels, snatching his hand back each time noise began to come through the speakers lest it be bitten off by some sound-activated spell. Shooting her a glare when Yuuko's snort of laughter pulled him from his observations, for one last time he flipped the switch, determined not to jump as the next station began to play.

"You may leave it here, Watanuki."

"I wasn't aware that you liked American music," Watanuki stated as he stood, brushing a bit of dirt from his pants as he turned back towards his boss. Raising an eyebrow, it was with a slight jolt of confusion that he found her leaning closer to the radio then before, her eyes shining as she listened to the lyrics.

"Normally, I don't, but this song has such potential," Yuuko said with a shrug before waving him away, her gesture reminding him that work was still waiting to be completed. Tilting his head as he took another moment to watch her, his own ears finding nothing exceptionally special as to draw so much of her attention, it was with a shrug that he went to begin the cleaning that the store so sorely needed.

Even after the song finished, for the rest of the afternoon the melody continued to drift through the store, kept alive by Yuuko's incessant humming as she switched between voicing the words and keeping them to herself. It wasn't until later that night that Watanuki came to realize the potential that Yuuko had mentioned earlier.

The potential to give him everything he desired and to completely screw him over at the exact same time.

"We're running with the shadows of the night," Yuuko whispered dangerously close into his ear, her lips brushing against the shell as one hand reached up and knocked the hat from his head. Starting at the feeling of her so close to him after almost an entire day without her presence, the distance between them almost non-existent, the broom clattered to the floor unnoticed by the two.

"Come and take my hand, it will be alright." Twisting herself so that they were facing each other, her body pressed flush against his even as she interwove their fingers, creating a lifeline that Watanuki found himself clinging to. Her free hand wrapped around his neck, using him as a support beam as she balanced on her toes so that they were closer in height. For the first time since he had come to work there, Watanuki found himself noticing the fact that Yuuko was, in fact, shorter than him, something that had slipped his mind due to her ability to seem so much larger than life allowed through her choice in clothing and personality. But right there, right at that very moment, without her heels and her over the top 'devil may care' attitude, she seemed almost fragile, something that should be cared for instead of feared.

"Surrender all your dreams to me tonight," she continued softly, the tone of her voice sending shivers down his spine as his arms raised of their own accord to surround her, trapping her against him. Although something within him was screaming at him that this was a trap, that the person he was holding was, in fact, an ageless witch that had made it clear more times than he could count that she could easily steal his soul if she so desired, the rest of him didn't care. As far as the rest of him was concerned, he was nothing more than a man, and she was nothing more than the woman he had begun to fall for.

"They'll come true in the end." Her voice fading to silence as it drew out the final note, Watanuki's heart began to pound faster than even the most terrible of spirits had ever been able to make it. His eyes half closing, said pounding became a roaring in his ears as he leaned towards her, his throat closing in upon itself as she herself tilted her head to better accept him, giving him silent permission to continue on with his plan. His gaze fixed on her slightly parted lips, it was with held breath that he closed the distance between them, throwing every cautionary feeling he had ever felt to the wind for this one, single chance...

And almost groaned as his lips connected with plastic and cloth instead her own.

"In Tokyo, Japan, Duck kisses you," Yuuko said with an evil grin, her duck puppet squeezing his face once more before wiggling from his grasp, leaving him standing there with a blush on his face and the weirdest feeling that he had just been dumped, despite the fact that he had never dated anyone. Watching as she walked away, her hips slightly swaying as she threw an order for something alcoholic to drink over her shoulder as she left the room, it was with a sigh that Watanuki bent to retrieve his hat and broom, shaking his head to forcibly clear it of the fog that had crowded his mind. Deciding that the rest of the room could be finished later, it was with a shrug that he turned towards the kitchen, his aggravation and humiliation already forgotten.

They were just things that came with the job, and, as a comfort, Watanuki knew that, one day, all of his dreams really would come true.


End file.
